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illmenite oxide?

updated tue 13 aug 02

 

John Stromnes on mon 12 aug 02


I am trying to emulate a surface treatment described and photographed in a
book published in Britain. The author desribes spattering ''ilmenite
oxide'' with a toothbrush over a white glaze already applied to create
nicely controlled tan speckled effect.

Does anybody know if ilmenite oxide is the same thing as granular ilmenite?
I've never seen ilmenite oxide as a material sold by American pottery
suppliers. I see the forumla for regular illmenite is FeOTiO(2), which is
obviously some kind of ferrous oxide.

Would ilmenite in this form work if just mixed with water and spattered
over a glaze with a toothbrush? Or should you mix it with a frit or melter
like Gerstley Borate? The speckled effect on the photographed piece in e
book is controlled just around the rim, handle and base of the form, so
just mixing it in the glaze and having an overall speckle is not an option.

Thanks, clayarters
John Syodo Stromnes